MEET THE CHURCH SUMMIT: NNCC ENGAGES POLITICAL LEADERS IN ABUJA

The Nigerian National Christian Coalition (NNCC) says Christians won’t rule out negotiations with the leading presidential candidates in the 2023 elections and has put in place a political forum called Meet the Church Summit, coming up on September 20, 2022, in Abuja.

NNCC consists of a new breed of Christ’s disciples praying and seeking God’s face and telling Nigerians to turn from their wicked ways and be united so that our Nation and land can be healed.

Speaking in Abuja on Friday, the Convener of NNCC, Apostle Titi Oluwadare, said that while engaging the presidential candidates and other political leaders, the body would be guided by the general interest of Christians.

HIGHLIGHTS OF TITI OLUWADARE’S SPEECH

* The time is now for the Church to engage the politicians in a dialogue concerning Christian interests.

* Any politician who disregards Christian interests is doomed to fail

* National discussions will lead to a National rebirth and reorientation.

* Meet the Church Summit

* There is a need to evolve a Nation where inclusion, equity and justice and fairness reign.

* NNCC is calling on the church to stop playing the victim and to be proactive. We got to where we are because of the apathy of the Church in politics.

Below is a transcript of the full text of the convener, which she read over zoom to the audience.

SPEECH

I would like to welcome the great men and women of the press today. I would also like to welcome the planning Committees and all who have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure God’s will come to pass in Nigeria.

WHY THE MEET THE CHURCH SUMMIT? ON 20/09/2022

The summit has the following purpose.

1. Re-engagement of Northern and Southern Christians and all Christians in Nigeria to advance Christian interests across political parties.
2. Working towards the Implementation of a Nigeria political vision for Christians in Nigeria and offering prayers  of the rebirth of Nigeria  politically, economically and spiritually
3. Unity of the church
4. Christian leaders informing political aspirants of the agenda and interest of Christians across Nigeria
5. Political leaders have a platform to speak to the Body of Christ and Engage with Christians
6. Encouragement of Christians in politics as equal stakeholders.

MEET THE CHURCH SUMMIT

It is a program to unify the political aspirations of the body of Christ in Nigeria. So that we can speak with one voice on the issues that are of interest to the whole church.

It’s also a program bringing the church and politicians together for an engagement to lay down the interests of the church and negotiate with politicians to cause inclusion of the church in project Nigeria. We no longer want to be spectators we want a seat at the table as partners who will advise on what is essential to the church.

The intent of the church leaders who are widely consulted is to use NNCC as a pressure group and political negotiation tool for the body of Christ.

We will bring the best in the church together-: Politicians, businessmen, political strategists, men of  God and all Christians for a show of strength to reveal to those who disregard the church that we are not a walkover. Whoever ignores and insults the church of Christ in 2023 does so to their detriment.

The church is now awake, and we are ready to constructively engage with other stakeholders in the Nigeria project. We are discussing with people of all faith, tribe and tongue in a bid for peace and national healing as well as national rebirth.

* Captain Henry Simire, Director Admin at the conference.

Our core objectives are the Unity of the church, the Healing of the Nation, and Enabling all Christians to chart a path for their aspirations through their inclusion and the inclusion of  Christian communities and interests in the political calculations.

We are also committed to energising and educating the  Christian political base, which cuts across the Nation.

Moreover, we are Glorifying the name of Jesus Christ by praying and working towards the Peace, love, progress and harmony of all  Nigerians. Finally, we want rational minds across the Nation and faiths to come together to trigger a National orientation and rebirth.

In looking at politics in Nigeria. Across the Political System of Nigeria, there are three fundamental interests and focal areas.

These are the Christians, the Muslims, and the Tribal interests. The Muslims in Nigeria have effectively translated their Interests into ideas and political strategies, and policies.

The reality is that Interests need to be harmonised, pursued, and transplanted or transformed into Politics, Ideas and Ideologies before strategic engagement and policies can evolve positively from there. Muslims have done this effectively Christians have not even started.

The tribal interests have also been harmonised across Nigeria. We have Biafra, the Arewa and the Oduduwa interests politically. These interests erroneously have buried the National interest and identity and are causing Division amongst the youth because tribal interests have been superimposed as the primary and exalted interest above National interest and identity.

Yet We do not have the Christian interests articulated and pushed forward in National dialogue.  The Christian South, as a predominantly Christian bloc, and the Christian North and Mid -belt together with the South, represent a big chunk of Nigeria, have failed to articulate a political Vision and engage together to horn it into interests and ideas.

This has caused an imbalance in the political dynamics of Nigeria. In being absent as a powerful block who can negotiate with other stakeholders or who even can call out the excesses of others and check those excesses by demanding the rights of the church and equity to the Church, we have created a vacuum.

That Vacuum has led to the state of the church and, by extension, the Nigeria state today. The State of the church is that of being in a political abyss and wilderness in Nigeria.

The Consequences are as follows.

• The church has been denied equal opportunities and Access to positions and other dividends of democracy.
• There is also Persecution, mainly amongst Christians.
• In addition, Political positions across the Nation and even Ambassadorial positions outside the country are distributed on tribal and Muslim interests to the disadvantage of Christians.   Christian interests are largely ignored.
• Moreover, the Refusal to engage and build bridges to discuss with the political class has translated into disjointed ideas and interests that lead to defeat and loss of opportunities by Christians to contribute their quota to transform the nation.
• Most notably, The Body of Christ in Nigeria, both in the North and South, has also been unable to unite and strategically harmonise its interests. This is because of a lack of unity, individual denominational interests, tribal interests and refusal and laziness to strategically harmonise ideas for the common good of all.

• Also, in addition to the above, the Christians have never managed to build a unified political base. A base is representative of the ideas formulated at the grass root level, which are brought to the centre with the view to represent, fight for, execute the interests and evolve political ideas of an overall group of people. Christians often rely on the Muslim political base to achieve their objectives. Many Christian politicians are raised, mentored and positioned in power by Muslims.
• The body of Christ, because of not having a base, is therefore lacking in the ability or capacity to negotiate or place a demand that can achieve or help achieve her objectives. Hence the Church has little relevance at the centre of affairs in Nigeria, and consequently, the Church and Christians end up being used as pawn in the political chess game by Muslims and tribal interests who are responsible for putting them in the positions they are.

You may ask, what is NNCC Intervention?

It is generally said that Politics is a dirty game. This has come to sink with many Christians, and because of this wrong theology, erroneous beliefs and slogan, the church has been short-changed in Nigeria.  This is the reality we are facing.

NNCC recognises, however, that until the church engages and brings forth her interests and drives it into ideas and fashions out political strategy, the system will not be sanitised, and nor can we play the role of responsible citizens who engage to turn around the tides in favour of the common man, or who even engage to level the playing ground in our Nation and act as a voice of reason to check the excesses of other interests represented in the dynamics of political power in Nigeria.

Therefore if this continues, Nigeria will continue in the circle of retrogression, impunity, and lack of accountability in the  Nation, and the situation will continue to deteriorate even further.

* Dr. Bola Adewara, Director Media.

Moreover, Christians who run or shy from responsibilities and God’s social mandate concerning politics will have no capacity to deliver on any interest or ideas significant to the Church or the Nation. So, the ugly situation will continue. May God forbid that this continues to happen in our generation.

NNCC Intervention is, therefore, to call on the rational minds in the Nation from all tribes and religions to engage in

• National discussions will lead to a National rebirth and reorientation.
• There is a need to evolve a Nation where inclusion, equity and justice and fairness reign.
• NNCC is calling on the church to stop playing the Victim and to be proactive. We got to where we are because of the apathy of the Church in politics. A robust Christian block like Southwest mainly has Muslim political representatives because of such, The church must now engage in project Nigeria.   We must be awakened and alive to our responsibilities as equal stakeholders in the Nigeria project. The imbalance must be corrected before the country falls over and tips over the precipice.

NNCC Structure gives us a reach to be effective.

Our organisation has far-reaching access to Christians from the National level to the local government level and to the ward level in Nigeria.

Below are our Key Officials -:

 Executive Directors:

1. Apostle Titi Oluwadare: Convener
2. Reverend Joseph Hayab: CAN Chairman Kaduna
3. Reverend Dr Jeremiah Gado: Former ECWA President
4. Captain Henry Simire
5. Ambassador Raphael Ogbu
6. Honourable Emeka Uzoka
7. Dr Bola Adewara

NNCC REGIONAL COORDINATORS

NNCC REGIONAL COORDINATOR SOUTHWEST Bishop Dr Theophilus Taiwo Ajose, Presiding Bishop of Bishop Ajose Ministries Int’l, Lagos State Director; Deputy /Director South-West, Directorate of Politics and Governance, PFN

NNCC REGIONAL COORDINATOR NORTH CENTRAL Rev. Luke Shehu. Chairman Arewa Christians and Indigenous Pastors Association (ACIPA) and Regional Coordinator, NNCC

NNCC REGIONAL COORDINATOR NORTHWEST Rev. Fr. Nuhu Iliya, CAN Chairman, Sokoto State

NNCC REGIONAL COORDINATOR SOUTHEAST    Bishop Mike Ogwurike, City of Revival

NNCC REGIONAL COORDINATOR SOUTH-SOUTH. Pastor Bassey James, National President, Southern Youths Development Forum Inc

NNCC REGIONAL COORDINATOR NORTH EAST  His Grace Most Revd Markus Ibrahim Amfani. Bishop of Yola Anglican Diocese of Adamawa State & Ecclesiastical Archbishop of Jos Province

You may ask What NNCC intends to achieve with the Meet the Church summit on September 20, 2022.? They are as stated below -:

First, we are taking a stand as the church of Jesus Christ and the world’s Light to demand  “Let there be  Light” in  Nigeria, let darkness disappear. Let injustice, oppression and wickedness stop. We are speaking to those who seat in darkness and let great light dawn. To those who seat in the land of the shadow of death, let there be a release of life. To those being killed and persecuted, let them be set at liberty.

We are ready as citizens of the Federal  Republic of  Nigeria, a Nation we love, a  Nation we still belong to as Christians, to demand our rights and tell our other brothers and sisters in the Nation that we are not begging for our rights.  We ask for our right of engagement with the political class and the inclusion of Christians and Christian interests in the coming political calculations for the 2023 election.

We are also saying we will no longer be ignored, used and dumped, manipulated as a block, enslaved, dictated to and /or disregarded.

We, as Christians, are not 2nd rate citizens who can be discounted. Many of the brains of Nigeria, the workers and the economic drivers of this  Nation are Christians.

Yet ignorantly, we left the so-called dirty politics to others That is why we are where we are today However, now change has come.

We would like to send out an Invitation to all Church leaders in Nigeria and Abroad to join us engage.

We would also like to invite Nigeria’s Political class, Christians and Muslims, and Nigerians of whatever tribe or tongue to come and engage at the Meet the Church Summit. Let’s seat to discuss and negotiate our interests collectively and inclusively.

So that with good and constructive communication, we can avert misunderstandings and war, which are always the result of disrespect, abuse, injustice and extremism.

Together we can build our beloved Nation.

Together we can once again call Nigeria a Nation where  Peace and  Justice reign.

NNCC wants to call all Nigerians to stand in brotherhood and good faith and rebuild and rebirth this Great Nation as equal stakeholders in Nigeria’s project.

The church has a social mandate as the city is set on the hill, brings light into the house and dispels darkness in all its ramifications.

NNCC says, “Let the era of darkness, hatred, bitterness, and violence   be over in Nigeria

Let us all begin to work together in love, in peace in constructive engagement, equity, justice, fairness, inclusion,  sustainable development and good Governance to inspire our teeming youth population as we rebuild our great  Nation.

Thank you

Apostle Titi Oluwadare: Convener.